


Memento

by Frostpebble



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Dark Knight Questline (Final Fantasy XIV) Spoilers, Gen, M/M, POV Second Person, drk-typical sadness, implied fraysid, post-50 quest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-13 09:15:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28775946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frostpebble/pseuds/Frostpebble
Summary: He left you a sword and a soul crystal...and maybe more, you're wondering, after meeting Sidurgu.
Kudos: 12





	Memento

**Author's Note:**

> I'm constantly consumed by sad DRK thoughts but this time I managed to put them in a readable form!  
> This is written about my WoL in particular, but I think it's general enough for anyone to enjoy.
> 
> ~ follow @Frostpebble on twitter for more rabid drk ramblings ~

It was strange, to now have a real dark knight as your mentor and sparing partner. Strange, and useful, and incredibly frustrating. With only yourself as your teacher, you hadn’t been too critical of your swordplay- considering you had no prior experience, all progress was good progress! And it was more than enough to face the beasts of Coerthas. But Sidurgu was another story.

He was the very picture of a dark knight: tall, imposing, all sharp edges and cast shadows. And you? You fall easily into the role, led to victory by the rush of adrenaline and the silent voice guiding your strikes. But it’s temporary, and when danger fades the sword weighs heavily in your hands, still accustomed to years of wielding a staff. You don’t dare tell Sidurgu the truth, that you’ve already enchanted the weapon to lay lighter in your hands, that this little cheat is the only way you’re capable of keeping up with his training regiment at all. Ironic, isn’t it, that a few tedious hours with a striking dummy are causing you more distress than the myriad of near-death experiences you’ve faced in your adventures.

“That’s enough,” Sidurgu calls, interrupting your train of thought. “Your form is...well, not good, but it’s not insulting to watch anymore.” You flatten your ears in annoyance. “But a dummy can only teach you so much. Come at me again.”

He draws his sword and assumes a defensive stance. You do the same, making sure to pay conscious attention to the angle of your feet and hands and the blade they hold. Instinct and a soul crystal may have given you a head start, but only blood, sweat and tears can close the gap in experience between the two of you.

You know you can’t overpower Sidurgu in a head-on clash, it would be suicide to try. Still you lunge at him, locking blades for a moment before allowing him to push you back. But you’re prepared, using the momentum and your smaller stature to deliver a powerful blow to his exposed side. Metal clangs against metal, and he stumbles back with a grunt.

“Not bad,” he says, catching his breath. “Would be a nasty gash if not for the armor.”

A thought occurs to him, and he looks you up and down judgmentally. “Where the hell is yours, by the way? You can’t tell me you fight in _that_.”

‘That’ was a set of general-purpose leather armor you’d acquired shortly after picking up the sword for the first time. You had the sense to know that your usual spellcaster’s attire would leave you woefully unprepared, but you couldn’t exactly spend the Scions’ limited budget on a full set of plate armor to use in training they were unaware of. This has seemed like a good compromise.

You shrug. “Sorry, I only got a sword and a soul crystal, not a full dark knight welcome package. I’m working with what I have. Unless you have anything better?”

It was a snide remark, not a serious inquiry, but Sidurgu pauses. He looks you over again, less judgmental and more calculating. “...I might,” he answers, an air of hesitation about him. “Come with me.”

* * *

He leads you into the Forgotten Knight, but not to his usual table beside the fire. Instead he takes the stairs down and turns to one of the doors along the wall, unlocking it and revealing a room a good bit larger than the one you’ve visited at the inn. Multiple rooms, apparently, since another door within opens and Rielle peeks her head out, surprised to see that Sid isn’t alone. She briefly meets your gaze before shutting the door again.

You hadn’t thought about it before, but you realize this place is probably the closest thing the two of them have to a home. Sad, you think at first...but it’s more stable than what you have at the moment, isn’t it?

“Rielle, it’s only Emil. You don’t have to hide. Come say hello.” She emerges fully this time and gives you a nod before the Au Ra speaks to her again.

“Do...you still have the coat? The one for Fray?”

Her eyes widen at the name, and so do yours, apparently, because Sidurgu turns to you and starts to explain himself. “You’re the same height as him. I think. And well, I’m not. So no one’s using it. So…”

He stumbles over his words, but Rielle understands his intentions better than he expresses them. She disappears in the side room and comes back with a neatly-folded garment in her arms, one of black and blue and gold, one that you know all too well.

And to your surprise, she speaks to you. “He was always fond of that coat. He was wearing it the first day I met him, and most of the days after that...so it was getting sort of old. And one day he tore it, climbing over a fence, trying to pick a flower I liked...he said it was okay, but I…” Her voice quickens; you don’t think you’ve ever heard her speak so much at once. “I wanted to get him a new one. And I was going to give it to him, and then he…he...”

She trails off, and you turn your gaze back to Sidurgu.

“I don’t think I should take something like that,” you say solemnly.

Sidurgu nods, clearly also unprepared to handle her reaction. He awkwardly lays a hand on the girl’s shoulder and tries to look her in the eyes. “Sorry, Rielle. Forget I asked.”

She shakes her head in defiance and clutches the coat a little tighter. “No, you’re right,” she says firmly. “It makes sense. And I think...I think he would like that. To not leave it here forgotten.”

She hands the coat over to you and you take it gently, trying your best to give her a smile. “If that’s what you want, I can try it on, at least.”

* * *

You slip into the coat and it fits you like a glove. Heavy enough to give protection, but light enough to move freely, and a good deal more fashionable than the garb of your average knight. You’re not sure how you wanted this to go, if you’re pleased or anxious that it suits you so well...but you catch a glimpse of your reflection in the window and are struck by a sudden bolt of...nostalgia? As little sense as that makes, it being your first time in this place...but you can’t find a better word to describe it.

You return to the main room where Sidurgu and Rielle are waiting. “Well? What do you think?” Although it was the girl who entrusted you with the gift, it’s Sidurgu you’re looking up to expectantly.

“You have his eyes.”

You blink. Sidurgu stares a little longer, and then also blinks, and then coughs awkwardly. “That was, um. A weird thing to say,” he stutters.

“Yeah,” is all you can manage in response but your heart swelled in your chest at the words, at the way he looked at you. You always loved the way he looked at you--

Suddenly Rielle is in your face, standing on the edge of the bed to take a closer look at your golden eyes and make her own judgment. “They’re very nice,” she smiles, either oblivious to or purposefully ignoring the awkward exchange. “And they match the coat!”

“Mhmm,” grunts Sid in agreement, still trying to recover.

“Well, then,” you say, deciding that now is not the time to process this, “If you’re certain...then I’d graciously accept this gift.”

Rielle gives a decisive nod. “I’m glad you like it!”

“We’ll give it the real test tomorrow,” Sid taunts. “No more holding back!”

* * *

Back in your room in Fortemps Manor you lie awake in your bed, the new coat hanging safely on the door, your soul crystal dangling between your fingers, catching the moonlight as it twirls on its chain.

“Fray loved him, didn’t he?” you ask the empty room.

_He did,_ the other you answers.

“What do we do about it?”

A pause of consideration.

_Just_ _don’t_ _leave it forgotten, I think._

**Author's Note:**

> Fun fact: when I first played through DRK, I guessed the "Fray is you" plot twist for the entirely wrong reason. He has the same height and eye color as my WoL, and I thought "aha, that's why he wears the full armor with only the eyes showing, they're going to reveal the face and it's you." Turns out it was just coincidence! But I think it's a very interesting one and I wanted to take advantage of it.


End file.
